diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index 030c413..80f428c 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@ const { app, BrowserWindow, session, desktopCapturer, ipcMain, clipboard } = req
 const { autoUpdater } = require('electron-updater');
 const path = require('path');
 const packageJson = require('./package.json');
-const PERIODIC_UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 1 * 60 * 1000;
 
 const updateState = {
-    status: 'idle', // idle | checking | available | downloading | downloaded | installing | not-available | error
+    status: 'idle', // idle | checking | available | downloading | downloaded | not-available | error
     info: null,
     error: null,
 };
@@ -25,8 +24,6 @@ function isNewerVersionAvailable(info) {
 }
 
 let updateCheckInProgress = false;
-let installInProgress = false;
-let periodicUpdateTimer = null;
 
 function resolveBackendUrl() {
     const configuredUrl = (process.env.CHATTZ_URL || process.env.APP_BASE_URL || '').trim();
@@ -52,10 +49,6 @@ function webContentsOrigin(webContents) {
 }
 
 async function runUpdateCheck(reason = 'manual') {
-    if (installInProgress) {
-        console.log(`Update check skipped (${reason}): install already in progress`);
-        return;
-    }
     if (updateCheckInProgress) {
         console.log(`Update check skipped (${reason}): another check is already in progress`);
         return;
@@ -85,57 +78,6 @@ async function runUpdateCheck(reason = 'manual') {
     }
 }
 
-function installDownloadedUpdate() {
-    if (installInProgress) {
-        console.log('Update install already in progress');
-        return;
-    }
-
-    installInProgress = true;
-    updateState.status = 'installing';
-    updateState.error = null;
-    broadcastUpdateState();
-
-    const wins = BrowserWindow.getAllWindows();
-    for (const win of wins) {
-        if (win.isDestroyed()) continue;
-        try {
-            win.removeAllListeners('close');
-            win.destroy();
-        } catch (err) {
-            console.warn('Failed to destroy window before update install', err);
-        }
-    }
-
-    setImmediate(() => {
-        try {
-            autoUpdater.quitAndInstall(false, true);
-        } catch (err) {
-            installInProgress = false;
-            updateState.status = 'error';
-            updateState.error = err && err.message ? err.message : String(err);
-            broadcastUpdateState();
-            console.error('quitAndInstall failed', err);
-        }
-    });
-
-    setTimeout(() => {
-        if (installInProgress) {
-            console.warn('Update install is still waiting for app shutdown');
-        }
-    }, 15000);
-}
-
-function startPeriodicUpdateChecks() {
-    if (periodicUpdateTimer || !app.isPackaged) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    periodicUpdateTimer = setInterval(() => {
-        void runUpdateCheck('periodic');
-    }, PERIODIC_UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS);
-}
-
 function createWindow() {
     const sess = session.fromPartition('persist:chattz');
     const backendUrl = resolveBackendUrl();
@@ -267,7 +209,6 @@ app.whenReady().then(() => {
     });
 
     ipcMain.on('download-update', () => {
-        if (installInProgress) return;
         updateState.status = 'downloading';
         updateState.error = null;
         broadcastUpdateState();
@@ -275,14 +216,13 @@ app.whenReady().then(() => {
     });
 
     ipcMain.on('quit-and-install', () => {
-        installDownloadedUpdate();
+        autoUpdater.quitAndInstall();
     });
 
     // Check once on startup
     setTimeout(() => {
         void runUpdateCheck('startup');
     }, 5000);
-    startPeriodicUpdateChecks();
 
     app.on('activate', () => {
         if (BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().length === 0) {
@@ -297,13 +237,6 @@ app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
     }
 });
 
-app.on('before-quit', () => {
-    if (periodicUpdateTimer) {
-        clearInterval(periodicUpdateTimer);
-        periodicUpdateTimer = null;
-    }
-});
-
 function safeOrigin(value) {
     try {
         return new URL(value).origin;
diff --git a/static/shared/app-core.js b/static/shared/app-core.js
index 8531b48..deee4bc 100644
--- a/static/shared/app-core.js
+++ b/static/shared/app-core.js
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ const state = {
     viewMode: 'chat', // 'chat' or 'video'
     iceServers: [{ urls: "stun:stun.l.google.com:19302" }],
     peerGainNodes: new Map(), // userId -> GainNode
-    peerAudioNodes: new Map(), // userId -> { sourceNode, compressorNode, gainNode }
     visibleVolumeSliders: new Set(), // userIds whose sliders are visible
   },
   voicePresencePollId: null,
@@ -1040,24 +1039,7 @@ function shouldInitiateOffer(peerId) {
   return state.me.id > peerId;
 }
 
-function disconnectPeerAudioNodes(peerId) {
-  const nodes = state.voice.peerAudioNodes.get(peerId);
-  if (!nodes) return;
-
-  for (const node of [nodes.sourceNode, nodes.compressorNode, nodes.gainNode]) {
-    try {
-      node?.disconnect();
-    } catch { }
-  }
-
-  state.voice.peerAudioNodes.delete(peerId);
-  state.voice.peerGainNodes.delete(peerId);
-}
-
 function stopAndClearAudioPipeline() {
-  for (const peerId of state.voice.peerAudioNodes.keys()) {
-    disconnectPeerAudioNodes(peerId);
-  }
   if (state.voice.deepFilterProcessor) {
     state.voice.deepFilterProcessor.destroy();
     state.voice.deepFilterProcessor = null;
@@ -1283,7 +1265,7 @@ async function createLocalVoiceStream() {
       sampleRate: 48000,
       echoCancellation: true,
       noiseSuppression: false,
-      autoGainControl: true,
+      autoGainControl: false,
     },
     video: false,
   };
@@ -1406,27 +1388,16 @@ function ensurePeerConnection(peerId) {
       const ctx = state.voice.audioContext;
       if (ctx.state === 'suspended') ctx.resume();
 
-      disconnectPeerAudioNodes(peerId);
-
       const sourceNode = ctx.createMediaStreamSource(audio.srcObject);
-      const compressorNode = ctx.createDynamicsCompressor();
       const gainNode = ctx.createGain();
 
-      compressorNode.threshold.setValueAtTime(-24, ctx.currentTime);
-      compressorNode.knee.setValueAtTime(18, ctx.currentTime);
-      compressorNode.ratio.setValueAtTime(4, ctx.currentTime);
-      compressorNode.attack.setValueAtTime(0.003, ctx.currentTime);
-      compressorNode.release.setValueAtTime(0.25, ctx.currentTime);
-
       const currentVolume = state.userVolumes.get(peerId) ?? 1.0;
       gainNode.gain.setValueAtTime(currentVolume, ctx.currentTime);
 
-      sourceNode.connect(compressorNode);
-      compressorNode.connect(gainNode);
+      sourceNode.connect(gainNode);
       gainNode.connect(ctx.destination);
 
       state.voice.peerGainNodes.set(peerId, gainNode);
-      state.voice.peerAudioNodes.set(peerId, { sourceNode, compressorNode, gainNode });
 
       // Mute the original element as we play through Web Audio destination
       audio.volume = 0;
@@ -1611,7 +1582,6 @@ async function joinVoice() {
         pc.close();
         state.voice.peerConnections.delete(msg.user_id);
       }
-      disconnectPeerAudioNodes(msg.user_id);
       document.getElementById(`audio-${msg.user_id}`)?.remove();
     } else if (msg.type === "signal") {
       await handleSignal(msg.from_user_id, msg.kind, msg.data);